Transformative Times

• Great Britain experienced economic prosperity, jingoism, and expanded democracy in the late 19th and early 20th century.
• Political parties underwent realignment between 1850 and 1865.
• The Tory Party became the Conservative Party under Disraeli, who supported aggressive foreign policy and reluctantly supported democratic reforms.
• The Whig Party became the Liberal Party under Gladstone, who supported Irish Home Rule, fiscal policy, free trade, and democratic principles while opposing imperialism.
• Expanded democracy was seen under Disraeli and Gladstone after 1865.
• The Reform Bill of 1867 expanded the right to vote and redistributed seats for more equitable representation.
• Gladstone implemented reforms including abolishing compulsory taxes to support the Church of England and introducing civil service reform.
• New groups emerged seeking to further extend democracy, including women's suffrage advocates, anti-imperialists, socialists, and anti-nationalists.
• The Liberal party advanced aggressive social and economic programs between 1905 and early 1920s, including the Parliament Act of 1911 and the foundations for a social welfare state.
• The social welfare state included the right of unions to strike, government insurance for those injured on the job, unemployment insurance, old-age pensions, compulsory school attendance law, and increased taxes on the wealthy.

Test your knowledge of British politics and society in the late 19th and early 20th century with this quiz. Learn about the realignment of political parties, the expansion of democracy, and the emergence of new groups advocating for social and political change. Discover the key figures and policies that shaped Great Britain's economic prosperity, jingoism, and social welfare state during this transformative period in its history. Keywords: Great Britain, politics, democracy, social welfare state, political parties, reforms.